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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24215131">Spliced (A Short, Short Story)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThemWhoReads1997/pseuds/ThemWhoReads1997'>ThemWhoReads1997</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Genetics, Gravity Falls AU, Test subject</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:47:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24215131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThemWhoReads1997/pseuds/ThemWhoReads1997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>William, or Subject 23, was created in a lab that housed and studied the supernatural creatures of Gravity Falls Oregon. After losing control of his powers and causing more than another damage to warrant being destroyed, Will runs away, hiding in the woods. He doesn't expect to be found by anyone and doesn't want to be. That is until he crosses paths with Stanford Pines, a young scientist doing his own study of the paranormal alongside his assistant, Fiddleford McGucket.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Deathly Incident In Sector D</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will shivered in the corner, eyes wide in fear as he gazed at his destruction. He hadn't meant to hurt anyone, hadn't meant to do so much damage. The human/demon hybrid got to his feet shakily, wincing as the broken glass dug into the soles of his bare feet and sliced into his flesh. There was glass everywhere, and it appeared he had not left a thing untouched in his magical outburst.</p><p>That included the woman lying nearby, unmoving and silent. </p><p>"Mama?" he called, hoping she was okay, hoping she would answer him. But the woman that had birthed him, the woman that had raised him, who had wiped away his tears and told him to be brave when the needles poked his skin, did not move a single muscle.  </p><p>Tears ran down his cheeks and he sobbed loudly, his head buried in his hands as the alarms finally went off and the automatic sprinkles malfunctioned and turned on, drenching him head to toe in cold icy water. </p><p>He looked up as the door opened and two men entered, raising their guns at him. Both of them were dressed in the special uniforms that kept them safe from dangerous attacks. The boy's eyes widened, and he stepped back, "I'm s-sorry! I didn't mean it!" he cried, whimpering as they came nearer, ready to strike if he so much as used his powers. A man stepped across the threshold and stared down at him calmly as he stood between the two guards, no emotions on his aging features. His lab coat swayed in the breeze drifting in from the broken windows, "Subject 23." Henry said quietly, adjusting his glasses as he looked at him. </p><p>"Please, I'm sorry, I-" Will argued, trailing off as his gaze shifted back to his Mother's body. He let out a strangled cry, fresh tears spilling over his cheeks as his watery blue eyes glowed brightly in the dim light. "Come along, Subject 23, let us return you to your room, hmm?" Henry asked with a soft smile, putting out a hand for him to take. The hybrid looked up at the men with their guns still aimed at him, and he trembled.  </p><p>
  <em>No, they were going to kill him for what he had done; he was sure of it.</em>
</p><p>Whenever a creature attacked and killed someone, it was shot on site and then dissected so as not to waste the vital information it contained, <em>he </em>was no exception. He stepped back again and shook his head, "I... I can't."</p><p>"Oh? And why's that? Are you in pain? I can see your feet are bleeding, we can assist you to your room and get a medical kit to fix you up."</p><p>Will swallowed thickly and before anyone could do anything he sprinted to the nearest shattered window and tumbled out, racing across the grass and into the woods as he ignored his wounds. </p><p>Henry sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, "Get him back here, he's obviously afraid and upset, be careful with him, he's valuable!" he called as his men made a move to follow the small boy into the forest, their reflective patches lighting up in the moonlight.</p><p>Once he was alone, he treaded carefully over to the woman and kneeled down beside her as the glass crunched under his shiny shoes, "Rest in peace, my dear, thank you for your tremendous work. We shall miss you." he said, softly closing her eyes with the tips of his fingers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Lost & Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stream had been a gift, as the hybrid could finally rid his skin and white uniform of the bits of glass it had accumulated. Bathing in the fridged waters kept him more awake as tiredness made his eyes grow heavy and kept him alert for the men he knew would follow him. Once he was clean, he healed his wounds with his magic, watching the blue dust he produced settle on the cuts and knit the messy injuries back together before his eyes.</p><p>"Hello there" a voice called out from the many pine trees.</p><p>Will turned around from his seat by the water's edge and gasped as he saw a man standing there. He was wearing a beige trench-coat and a red sweater underneath it. He smiled warmly and waved at him, six-fingers wiggling. "Are you lost?" he asked, stepping closer with muddy boots.</p><p>Will shook his head, his eyes glowing in the darkness. The man could just make out the boy's slitted pupils in the white-less eyes. Ford was very interested, it was obvious he wasn't human, "Do you have a name?" he asked, holding up a journal in his hands and scribbling on the pages with his pen as he recorded his findings. </p><p>"Will" he said, his voice rough from crying. </p><p>"Do you have a home?"</p><p>Will looked down at his feet, tears dripping down to the leafy ground, </p><p>
  <em>Not really.</em>
</p><p>"It's freezing out here at night, why don't you come home with me, I have a fire going and my assistant can make you some hot chocolate. In the morning I can help you get home, what do you say?" </p><p>
  <em>Hot chocolate?</em>
</p><p>Will looked up at him and wiped away the tears, "That would be nice, thank you" he said, trailing over and smiling up at him. Ford took off his coat and put it over his shoulders, the heavy fabric settling down comfortably. "There, you'll warm up nicely in no time" he said, showing the drawing he had done of him. Will wrapped it around himself better and followed after him as he made his way back to where ever he had come from. This man seemed nice, and if his house was far away enough, he'd be safe from the men. </p><p>~ </p><p>"Found him yet?" Henry asked, speaking directly into the walkie talkie. The speaker crackled a bit before the man on the other side spoke, </p><p>"Not yet sir, but we have found traces of his magic by a nearby stream," </p><p>"Keep searching, I want him found by tomorrow afternoon, understand me?" </p><p>"Yes, sir." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Barcode Tattoo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ford tucked the now fast asleep boy up on the sofa and peeled the empty mug from his pale fingers as Fiddleford stoked the fire with the poker.</p><p>"Have you figured out what he is yet?" Fidds asked, standing back up as he closed the grate. Ford shook his head, "Nope... Hang on, what's this?" he asked, turning Will's wrist over.</p><p>There, outlined upon the white skin and blue veins, was a barcode tattoo.  </p><p>"Fiddleford? Do we still have that universal, multidimensional scanner from our last trip through the technology dimension?" </p><p>Fiddleford set the poker back in its holder, "It's in the lab, yes, why?"</p><p>"I want to see what comes up if I scan it" Ford said, showing him the barcode. </p><p>~ </p><p>Ford waved the scanner over the tattoo and quickly plugged the device into his laptop. Immediately files, reports, pictures and videos bombarded the computer. "Oh, my..." he said, eyes washing over everything as fast as he could, his mind absorbing all the info and processing it quicker than Fiddleford could blink three times.</p><p>"He was created, in a lab not too far from here" Fidds said, reading over his shoulder, "Yes and they took good care of him, so why did he run away?" Ford asked. </p><p>The two looked over at the boy, "Maybe something went wrong?" Fidds asked. </p><p>Ford nodded, "Its plausible" he said,</p><p>"Click on that video, I want to see" Fidds said, tapping the screen with a finger. </p><p>Ford double clicked on the file: </p><p>
  <em>"Come on sweetie, show us what you did" a woman said excitedly, smiling at the small blue-haired boy standing by the wall. Will frowned, "I don't think I can!" he cried, a little upset by the sudden pressure. </em>
</p><p><em>The woman smiled, "I know you can do it, do it for Mommy, I'm so proud of you."</em> </p><p>
  <em>Will nodded and put his hands together, tongue poking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. A burst of blue dust spread out around him from his fingertips, whispering and twisting around him as he gazed at it with a wistful smile. The woman clapped, as did the other scientists. "Well done, Subject 23, brilliant! What does it do, Jeanne?" the man asked, adjusting his spectacles to see it better. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman picked up a folder and passed it to him, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Anything he wants it too." </em>
</p><p>"So he's magic and his abilities are very powerful, especially if he manipulate it to whatever he desires." Fidds said, Ford nodded, "But that doesn't explain why Will would run away, he had parents and... What are you doing?" he asked, looking up as Fidds grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table. </p><p>"I always watch the late news" he said, flicking it on. </p><p><em>"Jeanne Hargrove, dead"</em> the TV blared, <em>"While working on a classified project at Gravity Falls Paranormal Research Lab, Jeanne Hargrove died in a workplace incident involving a science project gone wrong, the explosion took out most of Sector D..." </em></p><p>Fidds swallowed thickly, "Wasn't that Will's mother, in the video?" he asked, setting down the remote as the TV cast its flickering glow around the room, "Poor thing, he must have been so upset that he ran for it." </p><p>Ford shut the laptop, "Or he killed her,"</p><p>Fidds huffed, "Why would you say that?"<br/>
<br/>
"They're not saying how the explosion happened, what if Will caused it?"<br/>
<br/>
"Oh..." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Hunger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fiddleford sipped his coffee as Will devoured the large stack of pancakes he had made for him, the maple syrup bottle almost empty as he squirted yet another large amount onto his breakfast.</p><p>"Hungry?" he asked, stirring some more sugar into his drink. Will nodded, "Starving!" he said, syrup around his mouth </p><p>"I'm guessing your metabolize is a lot faster than the average human?" </p><p>Will nodded, "My powers use up my energy quickly" he said, a few crumbs flying from his mouth. Ford came in with a smile and grimaced at the manner-less child, "Morning, Will, hungry I see" </p><p>"Very! Thanks for the food!" </p><p>"You're very welcome" he replied, pouring some coffee into a mug, "Now, how about we get you home?" </p><p>Will put down his knife and fork, "Well, you see, the thing is, I don't really have a home..." </p><p>"Yes, you do, the facility, right? The one you ran from?" Fidds asked, Will blinked, "How did you know?" he asked, his muscles tensed and ready to run if danger was afoot. </p><p>"Your tattoo gave us the info when we scanned it. I also contacted Henry this morning, he says you aren't in trouble, and you won't be harmed, Will. Please understand this, he's worried for your safety." </p><p>Will was shocked, "I'm not going to be shot?" </p><p>"No! Why would you say that!?" Fidds asked,  </p><p>Will trembled, "I killed Mama..." he said, swirling a finger in the puddle of maple syrup that was left on his plate from his frantic eating. </p><p>"Did you intend to harm her?" </p><p>"No..." </p><p>"Then they have no reason to hurt you. After you've eaten you can come with us, if anything starts to fly south we'll protect you." </p><p>Will smiled, "You'd risk your life to help me?" </p><p>"If it comes to that." </p><p>Will got up off his chair and hugged the man tightly, Ford smiled and hugged him back. </p><p>"Don't worry, William, everything will be okay."</p><p>~</p><p>Henry sighed and rubbed his eyes with his hands. Poor Will, he really had thought he was going to kill him? He must have been terrified by the thought. Henry looked over at the photograph in his desk and smiled softly. He wished she could be here now, Will would never calm down unless she was by his side, and now that she was gone. Well, he guessed it was just up to him now, and besides...<br/><br/><br/></p><p>
  <em>.... He would never hurt his son.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Reunited</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Will held Ford's hand as they entered the large clearing the facility was housed. Henry was waiting by the doors patiently and smiled as Ford called out his name. </p><p>"There he is!" Henry said with a smile, kneeling down to Will's height and putting out his arms. Will looked up at Ford and the man nodded, "Go on then" he said, gently pushing him forward. Will ran over to him and hugged him tight, "You silly boy, did you really think we would shoot you?" Henry asked.</p><p>"Y-Yes" </p><p>"No son, you're not like the animals we keep here, you much more important to me and to the rest of the team. What you did was an accident that not even your mother could predict." </p><p>Will sobbed, "I'm so sorry" </p><p>Henry stood back up and cradled him, rubbing his back as he cried, "It's okay bud. But now we just need to find a way for you to harness your abilities safely, to avoid these accidents in the future" </p><p>"More tests?" </p><p>"Yes, we'll need to run a few more tests." </p><p>Ford raised his hand, "If I may, me and my assistant have been diving through dimensions for a few years now, and we may have some technological advances that might interest you." </p><p>"Are you asking to join our team, Mr. Pines?" Henry asked, </p><p>Ford nodded, "I'd be honored to, sir" </p><p>Henry came over and shook his hand,  </p><p>"Well then, welcome aboard." </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Made In Gravity Falls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, uh, how did you make, William?"</p><p>Henry smiled as he tucked Will into bed, his room just as white as the lab itself and covered in kids drawing, toy, books and games. "Dead demon we found in the woods, took us a few goes to get him right. Jeanne and I volunteered to be donors, and Jeanne herself as the vessel." Henry said, pulling out a mobile phone and pressing play on a video for him. Ford took it from his hands and watched the feed with a smile, "That's him as a baby, he was always so happy to see everyone, never cried once, smart too, and gifted." Henry said, sounding very proud of him as he made for the door, Ford followed after him. Henry waited till he heard the door lock behind them before he continued to his office, "Cup of tea?" he asked, taking the phone back. </p><p>"Got any coffee?" </p><p>Henry laughed, "Well, of course, we<em> are </em>scientists. Got to stay up late somehow." </p><p>~ </p><p>"I'm sorry, about Jeanne, that must have been tough on you" Ford said, sipping at his drink. Henry sighed, "We knew the risks of having a kid with powerful abilities, just didn't think it would come to this. She was a brilliant mind, loved Will with all her heart..." </p><p>"Did you love her?" </p><p>Henry waved a hand at him, "No, not like that, we weren't together." </p><p>Ford set down his coffee, "What are you going to do with him, once he's older?" </p><p>"What do you mean?" </p><p>"I mean you can't keep him here for the rest of his life, he's a kid, he needs to go out and do things, he's going to get restless one day." </p><p>"He's an experiment, he's not human, Mr. Pines." </p><p>"I know, it's just..." </p><p>Henry nodded, "I get it, but he's safer here, than out there. What if someone found him, someone bad?" </p><p>"Good point." </p><p>"William receives the utmost care and medical here. He's happy, he's safe and most importantly he's loved." </p><p>Ford smiled at that,  </p><p>"Having you on this team will help us with so many things, I'm so glad you could join us." Henry added, pushing over some paperwork. Ford took the pen he handed him and signed his name with a flourish,  </p><p>"I'll do my best, sir." </p><p>"No need to call me sir, Henry is fine." </p>
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